Housing issues beyond Portland's boundaries

In the summer of 2017, Street Roots received funding from Meyer Memorial Trust’s Affordable Housing Initiative to develop dedicated reporting on rural housing issues. The goal is to broaden our views around housing policy to promote better understanding of the issues communities face across the state. We also intend to highlight the common ground that we all share, and the solutions we can all get behind.

Altogether, Meyer awarded 12 grants totaling more than $700,000 to support organizations for the next two years in raising the curtain on the state’s housing crisis and crafting sustainable solutions at both the local and state levels.

Despite Oregon’s liberal reputation, the vast majority of Oregon’s 36 counties are rural and conservative. Unlike Oregon’s bustling urban centers, many rural economies are still struggling a decade after the 2008 recession. Employment levels are still below their pre-recession peak, and youth and working-age populations are declining, further dampening the promise of future economic growth.

Our hope is that this work – among all organizations – will have long-term impacts, amplifying the voices, concerns and needs of rural Oregonians. We look forward to hearing their stories.

Read the series (more articles will be added as we continue our coverage):